


AvenJews Assemble

by Aprilmallick



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Chanukah, Domestic Avengers, Gen, Hanukkah, I mixed up all the universes, Jewish Avengers, They're ALL Jewish because I said so, no one can stop me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:35:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27926119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aprilmallick/pseuds/Aprilmallick
Summary: The more Bucky thought about it, the more uncomfortable he was with the idea of playing Christian for the camera no matter how “mainstream” and “secular” the holiday had supposedly become.
Relationships: Avengers Team & Avengers Team
Comments: 11
Kudos: 26





	AvenJews Assemble

**Author's Note:**

> I’m very tired of Jews, especially religious Jews being underrepresented in both canon and fanfic. There are hardly any Chanukah fics so here ya go.  
> I did so much research on this including but not limited to if it was plausible for Steve’s mom to be a Jew from Ireland, 616 Natasha, and if there’s a solid Jewish community in Ohio.

Bucky Barnes still had yet to remember much about his past, but the one thing he knew is that he was a Jew through and through. The rhyme scheme of it made the corners of his mouth tip upwards a little, a massive improvement from when his face couldn’t form a smile at all. Sometimes he could see glimpses of Shabbat candles being lit when he closed his eyes, feel the bitey chill of walking to _Shul_ in the Winter, smell clove from _Havdalah_. Once in a while if he was lucky, the moments were paired with an image of his long gone mother, his _Imma’s_ smile.

Bucky’s present, however, was nowhere near as spotty. He knew the Avengers team was expected to perform public services around the holidays- Steve had complained to him about how many goddamn Christians there were who simply couldn’t comprehend that not everyone wanted to take part in saying grace and praising Jesus, not even just once for the cameras. Not to mention all the Churches who tried to book the team for holiday fundraising events. Bucky had been watching previous year’s Christmas events footage and he couldn’t help but notice that none of the team looked particularly happy at them, besides of course, Tony, who always managed to look happy for the camera in all and any situations. 

The reason for Steve being uncomfortable was obvious: He was also Jewish. His mother had been an Irish Jew and his dad an America one. Bucky had even met Steve being beaten up behind their synagogue after some punk had said Steve’s mom couldn’t possibly be a real Jew if she was from Ireland and therefore Steve himself wasn’t really Jewish either. Their families had celebrated many a Shabbat and all the Holidays together throughout the years before Bucky and Steve shipped off to the army. 

Natasha, Clint, and Bruce, were most likely uncomfortable with cameras on them, as the first two were supposed to be never-seen master assassins and Bruce was just shy. 

Thor hadn’t been there and would not be this year either as he conveniently found ways to be off-world every time Christmas rolled around. Probably because of the whole Norse god thing. Bucky was envious. If only he could escape off-world whenever there was something he didn’t want to do. 

This year Sam and the Maximoff twins would be there for the first time too, but no doubt they’d be just as comfortable as Tony. 

The more Bucky thought about it, the more uncomfortable he was with the idea of playing Christian for the camera no matter how “mainstream” and “secular” the holiday had supposedly become. 

On December first when decorations had mysteriously materialized all down the street and every radio station had switched to playing Christmas music, Bucky slammed his fork down abruptly in the middle of eating dinner with the team and said, “I can’t do it.” 

Used to random team members having breakdowns at meal times, everyone kept on eating calmly, but Steve did give him a concerned look and asked, “Can’t do what, Buck?” 

Bucky’s chair suddenly felt a little claustrophobic pushed in so close to the table so he shoved it back a few inches and gave a huff. “Whatever Holiday event the Avengers are going to this year, M’not coming.” 

Everyone began looking a lot more worried, as the last time Bucky hadn’t wanted to go to publicity events it had been Winter Soldier related. 

“Can I ask why?” Tony asked, drumming his free hand on the table, the other occupied with the screwdriver that he was using intermittently to fiddle with some machine and eat his food. 

“I don’t wanna be involved in any Christianity shit,” Bucky said, way too loudly. “I’m Jewish and I ain’t playing up my holiday cheer for the cameras.” 

Pietro and Wanda exchanged a look and had a brief mental conversation. “My sister and I would like to second that,” Pietro said.

Wanda nodded. “We found out that our father was a Holocaust survivor and it would seem disrespectful to allow ourselves to be assimilated into the non-Jewish culture when he and our grandparents worked so hard to avoid it.”

“Dadneto was around during world war two?” Clint asked. “Jeez, that guy is as old as Steve and Bucky.”

Natasha cleared her throat. “And me.” 

It was often difficult to remember that Natasha was a super soldier too as she hadn’t been frozen but still looked far younger than either Steve or Bucky. 

“Most of the girls in the Red Room were Jewish,” Natasha continued. “We were stolen from our families during the Great Purge.” She set her utensils down with a disturbing precision. “I too would rather not partake in any Christmas events.” 

Bruce raised his hand tentatively. “Me too.” 

Tony huffed dramatically. “Don’t tell me. You’re Jewish too.”

Bruce nodded. 

Steve stared at him. “There are Jews in Ohio?” 

Bruce shifted uncomfortably from the attention. “Well I was born in New York but my parents wanted to move somewhere cheaper and they found a nice _Sephardi_ congregation in Dayton.”

“You’re _Sephardi_?” Steve gave a disbelieving shake of his head.

“Well yeah. Where did you think all my Persian recipes came from?” 

“I thought you’d just picked them up from your . . . travels.” Steve confessed, carefully avoiding mention of when Bruce had been on the run from the American Military. It was still a bit of a sore spot. 

Bruce smiled wryly. “Easy to tell you’re from an _Ashkenazi_ community, Steve. We’re literally eating _Gundi_ right now. It’s a Shabbat food.” 

“Literally never even heard of it,” Steve shook his head. “Buck?”

“I just thought it was just a foreign stew,” Bucky confessed. 

Tony snorted. “I knew it was a Sephardi dish.” 

Steve whipped around to face him. “What? How?”

“Mom made it sometimes,” Tony said like it was no big deal.

Natasha’s eyes narrowed. “I’ve read your file. Your mother was Italian.”

“And Jewish.” Tony fiddled with his screwdriver. “Howard didn’t want anyone to know about that part though so I was raised pretty secular.” 

“Hey, me too!” Clint cheered. “I don’t even know what Sephardi or Ashkenazi mean but my parents were both Jewish. We went to a Reform temple on the high holidays and I had a _bar mitzvah_.” 

“We were also not raised religiously,” Wanda said. The ‘obviously’ was implied. 

“Is now the time to mention that I’m also Jewish or,” Sam asked. 

“Huh?” Steve was absolutely befuddled. 

Sam crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow defensively. “What? You think I can’t be Jewish cuz I’m black?” 

“No!” Steve protested. “But we’ve been friends for over a year and this has never come up? I must have told you stories about Bucky and me that involved Jewish things.”

“Guess we were just too preoccupied with saving the world.” 

Pietro cleared his throat, speed-eating a few spoonfuls of food before he spoke. “It seems that somehow this is something none of us knew about the others.”

“That’s true,” Clint said. “Steve, you’re really not Catholic?” 

Bucky snorted. “Steve’s as non-catholic as they come. He hasn’t gone a day without sinning and he sure ain’t saying any penance for ‘em.”

“That’s cuz the actual way to make up for bad things is admit, feel bad, leave the sin, and never do it again,” Steve said snidely.

“He’s got the admitting part down,” Tony said.

“But none of the other ones,” Sam agreed.

Steve stuck his tongue out at them. “Step one is the most important part.”

“That’s the Jewish way of penance,” Bucky explained to a confused-looking Clint in an undertone. “We learned it from our Rabbi.” 

“So we’re not doing anything for Christmas, correct?” Natasha interrupted. “How about Hanukkah?”

“I’d be down for a Chanukah excursion,” Bucky nodded. 

“Fundraising for anything but a church,” Steve chimed in. “I’m sick of those. I feel uncomfortable just going inside of them.” 

“I’d like to learn more about Judaism,” Tony admitted. “I only know bits and pieces of what we’re even supposed to do.”

“We can start with the story of Chanukah,” Steve said magnanimously. “Tis the season and all.”

Pietro and Wanda leaned forward in creepy twin synchronization. “We’d like to learn as well,” Pietro said.

“Our father couldn’t tell us much,” Wanda explained. “He’s been too busy helping Professor X run the institute.” 

“I hear they’re having a multi-ethnic seasonal party of their own,” Sam said. “So ours needs to be bigger.”

“And definitely more awesome than whatever the Fantastic Four are doing,” Tony added. “Gotta shove it in Richard’s face that the Avenger’s do Jew better than he does.” 

“It’s settled then.” Natasha nodded decisively. “Hanukkah it is.”

“Does this make us The Jewvengers?” Clint asked, “no wait, no, The Avenjews!” 

\----------

**Author's Note:**

> Shul = synagogue   
> Havdalah = shabbat ending ceremony  
> Imma = Hebrew for 'Mother'  
> Sephardic/Sephardi = an ethnic division of Jews primarily from Spain and Portugal


End file.
